


His Origin, Her Legacy

by SociallyUnacceptableOrb



Category: Hoshi no Kaabii | Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Genre: 4Kids Dub, Alternate Universe - Future, Blood Magic, Canon Compliant, Flashbacks, Garlude Misunderstands The Term 'Baby Making', Gen, Immortals in Space, Kirby's Dad Is A Beautiful Idiot, Lifespan Discrepancy, Nightmare Lies To Children, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-06-20 14:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15535860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyUnacceptableOrb/pseuds/SociallyUnacceptableOrb
Summary: If you can't summon the Star Warrior's warpstar directly, celestial aid is fine!





	1. Happy Birthday, Kirby!

Kirby, Tuff and Meta Knight stared each other down from across the courtyard. A three-way brawl was set to commence between the trio, and all three were primed for action. Well, two of them, at least. Sword Kirby was too busy looking at a small pink butterfly that had rested on the hilt of his sword.

“Be careful out there, Tuff!” Tiff called from the sidelines, where she sat with Lololo and Lalala.

“I’m on duty, Tiff! It’s Mace Knight!” Tuff shouted back at his sister.

“You’re using a flail, Tuff!”

“Shush up! It sounds cooler!”

“Alright!” shouted Meta Knight, trying to get the two quit arguing for once. “Is everyone ready for the training exercise? Kirby, Mace, do not hold back. I want you two to show me everything you’ve learned.”

Kirby looked up with a start, remembered what he was doing, and nodded. Tuff nodded in turn and gave his flail a few practice swings. With no warning, Meta Knight charged at Kirby, who managed to parry his strokes with ease. Tuff was a bit slower on the uptake, but he got a few good smacks in and even managed to whiff the knight off his feet once or twice. Of course, Tuff basically playing a game of Jump-rope Helicopter with his flail didn't go unnoticed by the two puffballs, and it wasn't before long he was knocked out of the game outright.

"Ow." Tuff muttered as he lay in the fountain, the crumbling plaster and drizzling water pouring on his head further adding to his humiliating defeat.

"Sorry!" Kirby called to him, wincing as Tuff pulled himself up into a sitting position and pulled off his helmet. His face was about as purple as his armor, and Kirby couldn't help but feel awful, even if it was just basic training. His brief lapse of empathy gave Meta Knight the perfect opening for a dive bomb, and Kirby yelped in horror when he turned to see his tutor nearly shove Galaxia into his eye socket. Kirby's eyes snapped shut and he wildly slashed in front of him to defend himself, and...

"GAH!"

Meta Knight screamed in pain.

Meta Knight had  _just screamed in pain._

Whatever he'd done, it had been bad. Kirby opened one eye cautiously, and saw Meta Knight doubled over, covering his face with both hands as a thin stream of blood trickled from his forehead. His mask was off to the side, split in half. The entire courtyard was deathly silent, everyone staring at the grisly scene before them.

"Meta Knight?" Kirby asked gently, as he slowly started walking towards him. "Meta Knight? You okay?"

"Get away from him!" shouted Sword, jumping in front of Meta Knight and spooking Kirby. "We gotta get him some help!"

"Yeah!" Blade added, picking up the two halves of Meta Knight's mask. "And saurimorriso fast!" With that, they rushed off, Sword helping Meta Knight keep his face covered up and Blade carting the fractured armor. Tuff pulled himself out of the fountain and dashed after them as well. 

"Oh, no you don't!" Tuff shouted. "I'm a squire now, too! You can't keep this stuff from me anymore!"

"Tuff, wait!" Tiff called after him, as she gently reassured Kirby that he can't done anything thing wrong with a head pat.  But Tuff had already left in hot pursuit of the trio, only stopping when he slammed into the thick oak door. Grumbling to himself, he pulled a set of keys from out of his holster and began to work on the lock. He could still hear distant voices inside talking about what had happened.

“Sorimoriso! Kirby’s gone and snapped your sorotikimarri mask!”

“He’s getting stronger, Blade. We should focus on increasing his training. I fret that he will stagnate if he’s kept at this level for much longer.”

“I don’t think that’s the best way to see this, Meta Knight. You should be fretting more about that cut on your forehead!”

The key finally clicked, and Tuff strong-armed his way into the room. He proceeded to immediately faceplant into the ground after tripping over Meta Knight’s cape, which had been tossed in a heap before it. He groaned and pulled himself off the ground, rubbing his head. As he looked around the room, Tiff, Lololo, and Lalala finally caught up to him.

Meta Knight’s broken mask laid on a table off to the side as he rested in bed, specks of blood still on it from where Kirby’s sword had cleaved it. The massive purpling bruise right above and between his eyes seemed to have tiny flecks of silver in the now dried cut, though it was a bit obscured by the icepack he was holding on it.

But the fact that his mask was off in front of them for the first time that they’d known him, and they could see his face in full-view kept them from pointing this out. Meta Knight’s golden eyes darted over to the four of them as he gave a short gasp. Tiff, Tuff, and the twins shared in his shock. Were it not for the blue color of his skin, a pair of thin black eyebrows, rough stubble and a few scars, he and Kirby would be nearly identical.

“He looks just like him,” Tuff said softly. “Are you… Kirby’s dad?”

“That seems moderately impossible.” Meta Knight said, moving the ice pack a bit higher. “I'm only 48 years old.”

“Holy cow,” Tuff said, his eyes lighting up. “You're  _ancient!_ How old is that supposed to make Kirby?”

 _“Tuff!”_  Tiff chided, punching him in the arm. “You can’t just say that to his face!” Lowering her voice, she reiterated the question in a slightly politer way. “How old is Kirby, if he’s still considered a kid? Didn’t you tell me that he was woken up 200 years early?”

Meta Knight nodded. “These things are of a…  _complicated_  matter. It would take me quite some time to tell you everything, and I wouldn’t wish to bore you with-!” Tiff, Tuff, Lololo and Lalala were already sitting before him, waiting eagerly for the story. “Oh, if you insist.” He cleared his throat and began.

“The legend of the Star Warrior destined to defeat Nightmare was passed down through generations and existed even when I was around your age. It told of a brilliant commander, born from hope itself, that would annihilate the forces of evil when all else seemed lost. I wished to become strong like him, and so threw myself into my studies, trying to piece together who he was if he really existed at all.” He chuckled a bit, despite himself. “You can imagine my shock when, years later, he turned up as a child and  _I_ had to be his teacher.”

Tuff laughed. “Yeah, talk about a twist ending!”

“At least you got to fulfill some of your childhood dreams and meet your hero!” Tiff said. “That’s a plus, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, it is.” Meta Knight replied with a nod. “My memories of the story are a bit fuzzy at best, but I’ll try to recall as much of it as possible.”

* * *

On the desolate planet of Shiver Star, two brothers were holed up inside the Great Kabu’s body. The elder brother, Galactic Knight, watched as the blizzard outside roared over the concrete and metal formations scattered across the landscape with a steely gaze. The younger brother, Twinkle Knight, had his face turned away from the cold as he calmly filled a Copy Scroll with his sloppy cursive.

“Galactic Knight, could you lighten up a little bit?” Twinkle asked. “You’re really starting to bum me out here.”

“Little brother,” Galactic Knight said, a condescending tone in his voice. “You are a magnificent, optimistic fool. We shouldn’t dwell on ‘what ifs’ and the sort. What we should focus on is defeating this enemy now!” He walked over to his brother and scowled down at the paper. “Your little fairy tale will have to wait for another time.”

“Hey, the best offense is a good defense! Hit him where it hurts, where he won’t see it coming! That way, we can beat eNeMeE, and still have the Gamble Galaxy in one piece. We won’t  _need_  a war because we’ll already have won it!” Twinkle Knight grinned. “Oh, and by the way, eNeMeE? That’s a great name for him! It’s a lot less confusing than just calling him ‘The Nightmares’ or whatever.”

Galactic Knight rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead. “No, no, no! I didn’t say he was  _named_ eNeMeE, I’m saying he _is_ the enemy!” But it was too late. Twinkle Knight had already written ‘Kirby will beat eNeMeE’ in his scribbly handwriting across the top of the page. Galactic Knight squinted at the sentence. “Who is… Kirby?”

“That’s what I’m gonna name him.” Twinkle said, as he rolled up the scroll and placed it in the hem of his cape. “I think it has a nice ring to it!” He picked up the bag sitting next to him, exited the building, and stepped outside. Breathing in the cool air with a wistful sigh, he began to make his way between the metal monoliths covering the road. Galactic Knight darted after him, morphing his cape into a set of swanlike wings and taking flight.

“I can’t  _believe_  you’re already named it.” he sneered.

“Well, yeah! The people are going to need a name to cheer after ol’ eNeMeE bites the dust!” Twinkle sang. “And don’t act like you don’t have any faith in me. Why else are you coming along?”

“To keep you from getting mauled, that’s why,” Galactic Knight retorted, landing in front of his brother. “Who knows how much longer we’ve got before somebody -or  _something_ \- notices that there’s far too much life in the middle of a frozen wasteland?”

Twinkle Knight ignored his protests as he looked up. “Sun’s coming out. I’ll see you later.” He pushed past Galactic. “You’re gonna be an uncle!” Galactic Knight shook his head again as he watched Twinkle bound off and away. He had his doubts, but he knew that if he kept Twinkle waiting any longer, it’d be another 50 years before the clouds would part again.

The inside of the cave atop the mountain was the only solace from the wind, though the skylight at the top had blanketed the interior with snow. Twinkle simply brushed it out of the way and began to pull all his equipment out of the bag. A silver bowl, a flask of water, a small glass container with remnants of a Sparkling Star, and a dagger. The sun was nearly above the skylight now, and Twinkle popped the lid off the flask and started filling the bowl.

“I call upon the grace of the clockwork stars, and all of the charity in the world.” He recited, careful not to stumble over his words. “I call upon every wish and dream that has ever been, and that ever will be.”  He placed the container into the bowl, the glass around it beginning to melt away as the Sparkling Star rose to the surface and began to softly glow. “I do this so that the evil shall be vanquished, for the sake of the Gamble Galaxy.”

He picked up the dagger next and hesitated for a moment, but he looked up at the rising sun, and breathed in deep. With a squeak of pain, he thrust the dagger into his paw and twisted it. Gently placing his hand in the bowl, he removed the dagger and watched as the steady stream of blood flowed from the cut and mingled with the glitter from the Sparkling Star and molten glass.

“May your still life spring forth!” he crowed, and the last rays of sunlight hit the water’s surface. A geyser erupted from the bowl, consuming the Sparkling Star and launching Twinkle Knight out of the building. He clung onto the cliffside for dear life, pulling himself up and back into its mouth as he watched the tower climb higher and higher, glowing with a pale-yellow light. When the sun ducked behind the clouds, the only thing left was the sparkling Star, suspended in midair.

And then, it began to take form of a Batamon… but stopped way sooner than Twinkle knight had assumed it would. It was a baby!

Twinkle Knight could already hear Galactic Knight’s ‘I told you so’ speech in his head, but he paid it no heed as he rushed over to the infant, catching it before it could hit the ground. Its skin was a soft pink, warm and fuzzy to the touch, with soft red blushes in each cheek. He was the cutest thing that Twinkle Knight had ever seen, but he was in no shape to start fighting monsters. Wrapping the baby up in his cape, Twinkle Knight made his way out of the cave, and skid down the cliffside.

“So, funny story!” He yelled across the snowy tundra. “We were both right! I mean, kinda. Please don’t get mad at me! You can laugh if you want to, though. Hey, is it just me, or does he look a little like mom?” No answer came back. Not even a snarky retort telling him to slow down or that he couldn’t understand him. “Galactic? Bro?”

He looked around the snowy landscape, seeing only more of the metal monoliths peppering the landscapes. One of them seemed to be hacked open, and he walked closer to get a better look. He almost whistled he hadn't, for when he looked inside, he could see a mess of bloody feathers and a shattered pink shield. His breath caught in his throat, and he looked around again. Footprints much larger than theirs, much larger than either of them were suddenly becoming more apparent as he came to the truth of the matter. 

Nightmare had found them.

He had roughly five seconds to ruminate on this discovery before a lighting bolt loudly struck next to him. Kracko! He gasped and rolled out of the way as it attacked again, its unblinking eye staring the two down. Bobbing and weaving between the monoliths, he began to curse himself for not insisting Galactic stay with him, for taking too long with finding all the proper materials, and for not wearing a shorter cape. That last curse seemed to bite him where the sun didn't shine, as it was snagged beneath one of the formations, nearly causing him to drop Kirby. And they were so close to Kabu, too. 

Grunting and yanking desperately, he tried to pull his cape out before Kracko could strike again, but the creepy cloud was right on top of him. It readied itself for another strike, but Twinkle manged to pull himself free with one final tug, kicking and tearing himself away. The formation began to make a loud chirping noise, one that was a double edged sword. Sure, Kracko was in a world of hurt and screeching in agony at the harsh sound, but Twinkle knew it'd only attract more demon beasts to the both of them. He bolted away again, this time making it into the rocky embrace of the Great Kabu.

His starship was right there, all gold and shiny. Untouched and perfect for the fledgling star warrior. His brother's ship was a different story, as he remembered too late that it had suffered a malfunction and could barely get more than 5 inches off the ground after it landed here. Kirby was going to have to fly alone. With a heavy heart, he opened up the top and placed him gently inside. 

“Keep him safe! Keep him asleep until he’s needed!” The baby weakly opened its eyes and looked at Twinkle. It cooed quietly and fell back asleep. “Oh, he’s got my eyes!” Twinkle Knight trilled, but he was quickly reminded of the task at hand when the room began to shake. He took the warp star from one of his pauldrons and placed it in a small box in the ship’s compartment.

“Go!” Kabu launched the ship from his open mouth, giving Kracko just enough time to slip though for a rematch. The black clouds above his head crackled with electricity, and another lightning bolt blasted in front of him. He pulled out his twin scimitars and readied himself as he could hear a demonic cackle begin to rise over the noise. All at once, demon beasts poured through the holes and mouth of the Great Kabu, some ripping through the sides as they all charged to rush the Star Warrior.

Were there any life on the planet, all they would be able to hear was the sound of grinding metal, gnashing fangs, and hellish roaring.

And off in the distance, the tiny starship darted through the atmosphere, far away from the frozen planetoid.

 


	2. Happy Birthday, Sirica

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirica, ya dun goofed.

If there was one thing that Garlude didn’t understand about mortals, it was how they created more of each other.

It wasn’t that the concept of children or reproduction was totally alien to her, it was just that she’d never seen an infant up close before. But, Cavalier Jack insisted that she be the one to hold Joe, after advising her to support his head and lower body. Being that Yamikage had distastefully referred to it as ‘Jack’s little crotch-spawn’ before getting a quick slap upside the head, she had a feeling why.

The infant opened its eyes, wide and dark brown, just like Jack’s. Looking up at the new face in awe, he reached out a chubby paw to grasp one of Garlude’s side bangs, and wrapped it around his hand, yanking it down slightly and cooing gibberish. It boggled the mind to think that one day, this little creature would grow up to be a powerful warrior. It was  _weak!_  It was  _helpless!_

It was  _utterly delightful._

Even though he didn’t do much, there was something so oddly precious about him. Maybe it was his small size, or his tiny bursts of affection, or his resemblance to his father, or any combination of the above, Garlude just wanted to hold him tight for as long as she could. She chose not to dwell on the possibility that she might want to smother him to death for being too cute.

At the back of her mind, she  _knew_  why she felt so fondly of him. The care and attention that his family showed the little one was nothing like Garlude had known before. Sure, she had her allies and bunkmates, but to show much gentle kindness to something of your own, it made her heart swell in pride.

She’d never felt that way about Lord Nightmare, and Nightmare had never shown any semblance of a soul beneath his actions. And she knew that he would never see any of his creations as more than tools or weapons for his own amusement. She would be lying if she said it didn’t make her envious, but she understood it wasn’t any of  _their_  faults that her own creator treated her so coldly.

It was at that moment she had an idea. “How would you like a new friend, Joey?”

* * *

Sirica bounded down the stairs, her blanket wrapped around her like a cape as she skipped her way to the breakfast table. Peering over the edge of the table on her tiptoes, she could see her Aunt Sara carrying her baby cousin Joe. She giggled, barely able to contain her excitement as she climbed onto a chair.

“Guess what?” she asked in a whisper.

“What?” Sara asked back, also in a whisper.

“Do you know what today is?”

“Why, no,” Sara said, in an overexaggerated tone. “I can’t seem to recall. Is today National Waddle Dee Day?”

Unable to contain her excitement any longer, Sirica laughed and cheered, “No, silly! It’s my birthday! I’m five!”

“Oh,  _is it,_  now?” She responded, putting him in his highchair. She walked over to the cupboard and returned with a massive chocolate cake. “I was  _wondering_  why I made this! Must have a sixth sense, or something. Both kids cheered as Sara cut out two slices. “Breakfast cake, most important meal of the day!” Joe squealed in delight and smashed his entire face into the cake.

After breakfast, Sirica took to her favorite hobby: bug catching. And there were such lovely beetles for her to try her hand at catching today. She was having a blast, until her net swung down so quickly that it smacked against a rock far too hard, knocking it out of her hands from the recoil. The net clattered into the chasm below, ping-ponging off of the sides and landing with a dull thud. She gasped and looked down into the crevice; too deep for her to climb down and get it herself, but far too narrow for Aunt Sara to retrieve it.

“Having some trouble, Sirica?” A voice called out from behind her. She turned to see a man, tall, pale, lanky, and angular with a sharp-toothed grin and a dark glint in his eyes. His cape was wrapped about himself, adorned in golden armor with a ruby-encrusted clasp holding it together. “My, how you’ve grown.”

“My auntie Sara told me I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” Silica huffed, crossing her arms and glaring up at the knight. “So, get lost!” Any attempt to sound intimidating was thwarted by the gap in her teeth causing a soft lisp to whistle between her words. 

 _Adorable_ , he thought.  _Precocious,_  he mused.

 _Malleable,_  he knew.

“I’m no stranger,” he said, and he extended a hand from out of his cape for her to shake as he bowed in respect. “I was…  _am…_  an ally of your mother’s. You may call me Stellar Knight.” Sirica was silent for only a moment, and then she squealed in joy, grabbing his hand harder than he’d expected her to, and shaking it furiously. For a split second, he began to regret his decision and wondered if he should have cut out the middleman and just turned her into a monster.

“Do you know about the GSA? What about Meta Knight? How many monsters have you squashed? Why are your hands so cold and metal-y?” Sirica had turned on a dime and was now asking questions as quickly as she was nearly tearing his arm out of its socket. Stellar Knight yanked his arm away and shoved himself off her, taking a few steps back. She certainly had her mother’s vigor, but much less tact.

“I’m afraid I can’t answer all of your questions,” he said, rubbing his arm. “But I can give you this.” From underneath his cape, he produced a bronze-handled sword. It was bigger than she was and seemed to have a rifle’s trigger on the hilt. “This belonged to your mother, a family heirloom passed down through generations. Happy birthday, Sirica.”

Sirica’s eyes lit up as she stood up on her tiptoes to grab it and was subsequently knocked onto her rump from how heavy it was. She hugged the sword close to her and rubbed her face on the flat edge as Stellar Knight chuckled. “I love it!” she cheered.

“I should hope so,” he said. “But I’m afraid there’s a slight downside to this.” Sirica looked up, ceasing her nuzzling. “You see, this weapon is very rare, and it’s been sought after by… less than scrupulous people. Thieves. Monsters. Bad men.” He knelt to her level and looked her in the eyes. “You have to promise me that nobody else can know about this. Or at the very least, only people you trust with your life. Can you do that?”

Sirica nodded and pulled herself up to her feet. “Good girl!” said he, as he started pushing her away. “Now, run along. It’s getting late. Wouldn’t want to worry your aunt.”

“I lost my net, too.” She said quietly, clearly trying to guilt him into finding it for her. When she turned back, he was gone, but her net laid where he was standing. It was still in one piece, which both relieved and confused her to no end, but she didn’t make much of it as she picked up the net and dragged both it and the sword back home. Her aunt was in the back, tending to her garden, but Sirica hesitated, thinking about her aunt’s less-than-positive opinions on Star Warriors.

But she couldn’t just let this discovery go to waste; she had to tell  _someone._  And with the unparalleled logic of an overenthusiastic kindergartner, Sirica made a backup plan. Creeping quietly into the bedroom, Sirica slowly perched herself above her cousin’s crib. Stirring gently in his sleep, he tiredly opened his eyes to see her practically waving the weapon in his face.

“Look, Joey! I’m a real Star Warrior now!”

* * *

As Garlude entered the library, she couldn’t shake a sense of  _déjà vu._  Nevertheless, she persisted as she looked around the building. It was certainly smaller than the last one she’d been in, but she remained hopeful that she’d find what she was looking for. The historical fiction section was oddly devoid of what she’d needed, but the Fantasy section delivered.

 _Twinkle Knight and the Soldier of the Stars._ There were other versions of this book in the library, many of them abridged into children’s picture books, but this one was the oldest edition if the archaic text and worn leather on the cover was any indicator. She flipped towards the end and carefully read the incantation.

Garlude made her way into the ‘Occult’ section next, being careful not to jostle the first book and lose her page. She probably would have found that name much more offensive if Zap Star wasn’t so technologically advanced. Opening a volume titled “Reanimation", she scoured the text until she discovered the proper spell. Fueling her confidence (or possibly the idea that the Twinkle Knight fable was secretly pro-black magic propaganda), she smiled and marked that page as well.

“You know, you could always just  _adopt!_ ” yelled the librarian, after Garlude had checked out. But she was already out the door.

* * *

Stellar Knight returned every one of Sirica’s birthdays to train her how to use the sword. Within no time at all, she’d mastered Sword Beams, parrying, blocking, Blade Coaster, and even a few moves she’d come up with herself. Her aunt hadn’t noticed anything was out of the ordinary, Sirica was a fairly active kid already, but someone else started to catch on how strange it was. And on her tenth birthday, Joe practically barricaded himself against the door before she could leave after breakfast again.

“I’m coming with you! You always run off whenever it’s your birthday!” Knuckle Joe crossed his arms and pouted. “I wanna come along!”

Sirica’s eyes nervously darted around as she froze. “Aunt Sara!” She called, attempting to get any sort of leverage over him.

“You’re ten years old, you don’t need  _‘me time’_  just yet.” replied Sara, and Sirica knew that she’d lost this battle.

Sighing deeply, she dragged Knuckle Joe out of the house and towards the canyon, stopping at a small rock formation on the way. Pausing, she turned back to Joe. “Promise me you’re not going to say anything. You’re the only other person that can know about this, okay?”

Knuckle Joe shifted uncomfortably on his feet, unsure of what exactly he’d gotten himself into. “Uh, sure?” Sirica nodded and began to dig underneath the pile of stones, until she unearthed a long wooden chest, and took the sword Stellar Knight had given her from it. Knuckle Joe gasped in awe as he saw it and reached out to touch it.

“It’s mine!” Sirica yelled, immediately yanking it away from him. “A Star Warrior gave it to me!”

“I just wanna see it, lemme look!” Knuckle Joe lunged for it, but Sirica sidestepped out of the way and watched him land smack on his face. She bolted towards the canyon as Joe followed in hot pursuit. “Sirica!”

“Go away, Joe!” Sirica yelled back. A well-placed Vulcan Jab at her feet knocked her down, and the sword went flying, skidding across the ground. Joe pounced on Sirica before she could get up again, and the two wrestled around before Sirica finally kicked him away and grabbed the sword. “This was my mother’s sword! You can’t have it!”

A rocket propelled out of the barrel, pummeling into the canyon’s side. Both kids were in a state of silent shock as they watched the smoke clear and saw the massive dent bored into the wall. Sirica looked down at the weapon in her hand, and back at the wall, still flabbergasted. After what seemed like forever, she finally punched Knuckle Joe in the arm.

“You scared him off, Joey!” she yelled. “Now what am I gonna do?”

“I didn’t do nothing! Your sword just turned into a gun!” he defended, rubbing his arm. “And who are you talking about?”

Sirica didn’t know _what_ to tell him without him getting the wrong idea and telling Sara. She just grumbled and messed around with the gun until it morphed back into a sword. He stood by and watched with a murderous glare, still waiting for an answer. She walked off towards a small rocky hill in the center of the canyon and sat on top of it, resting the sword next to her.

“Hey!” Joe ran to the rock and tried to scramble atop it. “It’s okay if you have an imaginary friend or whatever. I don’t mind! Some of my friends still have them!” She didn’t respond as he fumbled again, this time making enough headway to get next to the sword.

“I just wanted to see what this could do!” He reached out to grab it for the umpteenth time, and Sirica slapped his hand.

“Don’t,” Sirica said firmly. “It’s special to me! Promise you won’t tell Aunt Sara about it?”

“I guess,” he started. “But only if you do my homework for a month.”

Sirica gulped, but she knew it was a reasonable sacrifice if it could keep his big mouth shut. She nodded and then slid down the rock, helping Joe down with her. As he watched the two kids head back home, Nightmare growled in frustration. He retreated into his shadow form and smashed a rock formation to bits as he fled the canyon.

* * *

Garlude tended to the campfire with her poker as she waited in the clearing. According to her sources, everything was perfectly prepared. She already had the dagger and a bit of her DNA, and the fire was a thankful alternate source if she was performing the ritual at night (she couldn’t imagine Jack nor Meta Knight not being suspicious if she did it at noon).

The real problem was how she would attain a Sparkling Star. Every living being had one, but she had no idea how to remove one from someone’s body. The stories had never seen precise with how Twinkle Knight had gotten ahold of one, either; conflicting reports said that he’d taken it from his deceased lover, that he’d severed a sample from his own, or that they were an assorted combination of other Star Warrior’s spirits.

The spellbook fortunately had an enchantment that just so happened to perfectly align with her plans. One incantation about ‘stripping away the flesh and revealing the inner core’ later, and she had a fully functional magic pyre, primed for a sacrifice.

A young Gaw-Gaw peeked its head out of the woods and meandered over to the clearing, sniffing around for something to eat. Small, vicious, and fluffy enough to pass off as a hair condition if the baby was unable to disguise itself at first. It was perfect! Garlude whistled over to the fuzzy beast, trying to look as little threatening as a strange woman alone in the woods holding an impaling object could be.

Unfortunately, the Gaw-Gaw had _also_ been picked as the perfect late-night snack to a Spideroo, which dove down from the treetops, and clamped onto the poor creature with a steely grip. Garlude gasped and desperately bashed the insect with her poker to free it, and after some struggling, the Gaw-Gaw squirmed from its grasp and darted off into the underbrush. Into the fire the Spideroo fell, writhing and thrashing until all that remained was its Sparkling Star, gently floating inside the flame.

Garlude smacked a hand against her forehead and silently hoped that the baby wouldn’t be born with fangs and eight eyes.

* * *

“Kabu?” Sirica asked.

No answer.

“Great Kabu?” she asked again. The fire within the great stone monolith was lit, so Sirica knew that he was there. He could hear her, but he seemed to be ignoring her.

“Great Kabu, I know I’m not a Star Warrior by birth, but… you have to listen to me.” She unsheathed the sword from her holster and held it up to the light. “My mother Garlude was a powerful warrior, and I’ve done my best to follow in her footsteps. I know nearly everything there is to know about swordsmanship and gunmanship. I’m not asking for much, I’m just asking that you say something, anything! Tell me if I’m really meant to be like her.”

He remained silent.

“I see,” Sirica lowered her head. “Thank you.”

As she walked down the cliffside back to the village, Sirica noticed something was awry at her home. Through the window she could see that Knuckle Joe and Aunt Sara were loudly arguing over something, but she couldn’t make out what it was, exactly. The massive electrical blast, flash of blue light, and loud cry of pain that occurred seconds later only further worried her, and she ran through the front door to find Joe storming upstairs with angry tears in his eyes. Scorch marks coated the left side of the kitchen wall, and her aunt was sitting at the table, her head in her hands as she wept.

“Aunt Sara? What’s wrong? What happened?” she asked, trying to come closer, but her aunt raised an open hand to stop her.

“Go to your room,” Sara demanded, lifting her head. Her eyes were bleary and red, and she was madder than Sirica had ever seen her. “Now.” 

Not saying anything else, Sirica nodded and went to go upstairs, turning back only once to see Sara drop her head and begin crying again. Upon entering her room, she found a very familiar face reclining on her bead, twirling a Warp Star in between his spindly fingers.

“Stellar Knight?” she asked. “What are… how are…?” Words escaped her. “I haven’t seen you in years. What’s going on? What happened to my aunt and Joe?”

“Knuckle Joe’s been a bad boy,” Stellar Knight said. “He ran off to Dreamland a few months back, and it seems he’s finally been exposed for the liar he is.”

“Whoa, Dreamland? On _Popstar?”_ Sirica asked. “What was he doing there?”

“I believe he was searching for the one who killed his father,” Stellar Knight replied. “And he found him. If I had to make a wild guess, I’d say your dear old aunt doesn’t approve of her nephew corroborating with a killer.”

Sirica blinked incredulously. “Seriously? _Knuckle Joe?_ He might be a total blockhead, but even he wouldn’t do something that reckless.”

Stellar Knight shrugged. “Meta Knight could have very well killed him, too. After all, he killed your mother without a second thought.”

 “What?” Her eyes widened. That Star Warrior had always been a contentious topic around her aunt, even passers-by didn’t dare talk about him or mention his name while she was within earshot.

“It wasn’t intentional for her like it was for Knuckle Joe’s father. Really showed how little he cared for anyone but himself, really. You see, that sword isn’t the only one that belonged to your mother.” He elaborated. “The sacred sword Galaxia was hers to claim, but a demon beast came upon her. Meta Knight stole the sword while she fought it, running off like a coward, sealing her fate.” His voice got very soft. “Her body was still warm when I found it.”

Sirica couldn’t remember what happened after that, the shock of his confession shaking her to her very core, but one way or another, she found herself sneaking into her aunt’s starship late in the night with only her sword beside her. She set the coordinates for Popstar, triggered the ships’ cloaking device, and set off into space without a second thought. She reasoned if she went at hyperspeed and factored in the time change, she could kill Meta Knight and get back in time for breakfast with Sara none the wiser.

A dull thud and a short cry from one of the other rooms snapped her out of her focus. It was followed up by five much quicker thumps and a metallic ring. With a pit quickly forming in her stomach, Sirica moved to the source of the noise, the teleporter room. Her nerves were quickly calmed when she saw a pair of blue sneakers peeking out from underneath a tarp. With one hard tug, she yanked Knuckle Joe out of his hiding spot.

“Get out of my ship!” she yelled.

“Since when was this _your_ ship?” he yelled back. “Last time I checked, Sara doesn’t just let anyone go for a joyride in this ol’ clunker!”

“Well, if it’s not my ship, and it’s not your ship, then that just gives you all the more reason to GO!” She lifted him up by his armpits and attempted to carry him out, but he managed to weasel out of her grasp.

“Why don’t you buzz off with one of your dumb friends?” she demanded, trying to corner him.

“I love to, really. Problem is, Aunt Sara zapped me. I’m all outta juice.” To prove it, he snapped, and a very small spark puttered out between his fingers. “I don’t get what her problem is! I’m twelve years old, not two!”

“And I’m fifteen. That means I outrank you.” Sirica said, finally catching up to him and beginning to push him out of the teleporter room.

“Not yet, you ain’t.” he muttered under his breath. “Look, just hear me out, okay? I didn’t mean to make her cry!”

“And you failed,” Sirica drolly stated. Knuckle Joe slammed his arms and legs against the doorframe, keeping Sirica from pushing him through fully. She shoved him harder, but he held firm. “Why did you even go to Popstar?”

“To hunt down a monster! That’s what I do now! And maybe, just maybe, you could let me do my job and protect youse guys instead of trying to stretch me out like taffy!” The way his voice cracked showed that even if he did have a terrible plan, it was a terrible plan with heart. And that medallion around his neck, she’d never seen him with it, but something about it was vaguely familiar...

 “Ugh!” Sirica groaned as she stopped pushing, causing Joe to slam face first onto the ground. She weighed her options against letting him be or telling Sara, and then nodded. “Where do you want to go?”

“Evenstar!” he said, immediately springing up to his feet and rushing over to the teleporter. “Already put in the coords! Just hit that button right there.”

“Alright,” Sirica said, rolling her eyes and walking over to the console. “I’ll pick you up when I’m done.”

“Wait, what do you mean when you’re-” Before he could finish, Sirica pressed the button and sent him off. Sirica slipped into the cryo-chamber as soon as he’d left. Her nightmares consisted of a large purple beast, one traitorous knight, and her mother.

* * *

The Gaw-Gaw curled up against Garlude as it slept, snoring loudly and twitching gently. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t growing attached to it. Maybe she could convince Sarissa to keep it while she was back at the GSA, but she knew the woman already had her hands full watching Joe. Whatever the case, she only had a few minutes until the moon was in the proper place.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Garlude put down her poker, crept closer to the fire, and pulled the dagger from her bag. She took a deep breath and began to recite.

“I call upon the grace of the clockwork stars, and all of the charity in the world. I call upon every wish and dream that has ever been, and that ever will be.” Jamming the dagger into her palm, she shuddered and twisted it, the black blood spilling out and dripping down the hilt. “I do this so that the evil of Nightmare shall be vanquished, for the sake of the Gamble Galaxy.”

The moon was almost fully in position, and Garlude yanked the dagger out and thrust her hand into the fire in one fluid motion. The flames licked around her hand, cauterizing the wound, but not burning her. As the fire started to grow bigger and bigger, the Gaw-Gaw was jostled into being awake and began to circle it, not knowing what was going on.

“May your still life spring forth!” As the rays of the full moon hit the fire, a great tower of blue flame blasted upwards, consuming the Sparkling Star, blowing Garlude back into a tree, and knocking her out cold.

* * *

Sirica bobbed and weaved past the fleet of crashed Destroyer ships. It wasn’t uncommon to find wrecks of old machines in the countryside of Zap Star; the place had been a testing ground for new tech for decades. Problem was, these wrecks were still smoking. The village had been attacked while she was gone. She parked right outside the city limits and gazed upon a razed town.

Half of everything was on fire or had been set on fire previously. The other half was fortunate enough to just have holes blasted through every possible part of them, to the point where it was a miracle they weren’t piles of rubble. The streets were full of people, still in shock from the attack, but the one that Sirica was most concerned about was right in the town center.

“Sarissa, please, calm down!” One of the village guards begged, but her aunt was hysterical.

“Where are my kids?!” she shrieked. “Tell me where my kids are, and then maybe I’ll calm down!”

“Aunt Sara!” Sirica called. “I’m right here!” She pushed her way past the destruction and rushed up to her. Sara immediately took her into a teary embrace, kissing the top of her head.

“Sirica. Oh, Nova. Sirica. I was so worried.” Her words came out as short gasps as she rubbed Sirica’s back. “Where’s Joey? Where’s your cousin?”

Sirica pushed off her aunt as the dawning realization hit her. She’d forgotten to pick up Joe. “He’s back at home. He’s hiding in the cellar.” She lied. “I’m going to get him, I’ll be right back!” She ran towards the house, surprised to see that it was only mostly singed. She ran up the stairs, and into her room again, slamming the door shut behind her and breathing heavily.

The poor guy was still probably on Evenstar! And it wasn’t like she could just fly back and get him, she’d need direct coordinates to get him back without getting him dizzy. And even then, there was no way that Sara was letting her out of her sight after this attack, so she couldn’t get back to the ship without raising any questions. Sirica didn’t know what to do; she simply plopped down onto her bed and clamped her eyes tight.

She rolled over onto her back, slowly opened her eyes, and then screamed in horror. Scrawled into the ceiling above her bed were three words.

_Happy Birthday Sirica._

* * *

Garlude moaned as she regained consciousness and, picking herself off the ground, looked around to see what had happened. The spell had been cast, all right, but what did it  _do?_ Her eyes darted between the moon, the Gaw-Gaw cowering behind a tree, and the blue fire gently dying down. Moving closer, she saw that the flame was taking on the form of something, and in a small burst of sparks, revealed itself as an infant Sylvanian.

She was much larger than Joe was and seemed to be older as well. Her entire body was stark white, and her long hair covered her entire body. She struggled to keep herself upright, but her legs faltered and she flopped into the cinders with a tiny squeak. Removing her cloak, Garlude rushed over to the baby and wrapped it up, taking it into her arms. With a gentle purr, soft baby blue eyes looked up at her through a mop of silk-white locks.

“I think I’m going to call you Sirica.” She whispered to the infant, who responded in kind by burying her tiny little face into the crook of Garlude’s neck. Carrying the bundle back towards the sleeping town, Garlude was ecstatic. She couldn’t wait to show everyone her daughter, or see the look on Yamikage’s face, or to give this child all the love and affection she could muster.

“Welcome to the world, beloved.”

**Author's Note:**

> Consider this the only time I'll ever write about Galacta Knight in a positive way. Sorry if you like him!


End file.
